1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for canting and lifting a snowboard rider's binding with respect to the plane of a snowboard.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Snowboard riders typically position their feet approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the snowboard. However, each rider is different, and many angle their bindings toward the direction of travel. Adjustable snowboard bindings have been developed that enable a rider to adjust the rotational orientation of each binding relative to the board to determine the most desirable riding stance. Such bindings typically have angle markings, often provided on a disc that holds the binding down on the board, so the angle at which the rider's feet are offset from perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the snowboard can be precisely determined.
Snowboard bindings can be attached flat to the surface of the board. However, some snowboard riders have found it advantageous to either "cant" or "lift" their bindings with respect to the plane of the snowboard. Canting involves tilting or angling the bindings of the snowboard toward each other, thus bringing the rider's knees into an "A" configuration which some rider's find to be a particularly powerful stance. Lifting involves elevating either the toe or heel area of the binding from the surface of the snowboard, such that one is raised with respect to the other. Lifting the rear binding heel and/or the front binding toe also facilitates placing the rider's knees in the "A" configuration.
To facilitate canting and lifting, cant/lifts have been disposed between the snowboard and the binding to angle the binding with respect to the top surface of the board. FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate an example of a prior art cant/lift 1. The cant/lift 1 is mounted on the snowboard in the location provided for the binding, and includes a metal hub 3 having two sets of screw holes 4 and 5. Screw holes 4 are used to mount the cant/lift on the snowboard via holes in the board provided for directly mounting the binding when no cant/lift is used. The binding is in turn mounted on the cant/lift using threaded screw holes 5. The portion of the cant/lift 6 that surrounds the hub 3 is made of a lightweight plastic, and includes a flat bottom surface 2a and a surface 2b inclined at an angle A with respect thereto. The thinnest point 2 of the cant/lift 1 is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the snowboard, indicated by the dotted line in FIG. 2, and faces the other binding. Thus, when the cant/lift is mounted under the front binding, the front binding is angled (i.e., canted) toward the rear binding, and vice versa.
The threaded screw holes 5 for receiving the binding are necessarily offset from the holes on the snowboard that would directly receive the binding if the cant/lift was not used, because the portion of the cant/lift hub 3 overlying the snowboard holes is used to form the holes 4 for receiving screws that attach the cant/lift to the board. As a result, when a conventional binding having a hold-down disc with the aforementioned markings used to identify the rotational orientation of the binding is mounted to the cant/lift 1, the markings are not accurate, because they are referenced to the position of the holes in the snowboard. Thus, when mounted to the cant/lift 1, the angle reading on a conventional binding is off by an amount determined by the distance by which the cant/lift binding screw holes 5 are offset from the snowboard binding holes 4. For example, where a 0.degree. binding reading is intended to indicate that the binding is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the snowboard, the binding may in fact be rotated 30.degree. toward the direction of travel. As a result, a special binding hold-down disc has been developed for use with the prior art cant/lift to compensate for the angular offset introduced thereby. Although the special disk provides the rider with an accurate reading, it would be preferable to eliminate the need to use a special hold-down disc in connection with the cant/lift.
The cant/lift of FIGS. 1 and 2 can also provide heel or toe lift, depending on the orientation of the binding with respect to the longitudinal axis of the snowboard. For example, if the binding is mounted to the cant/lift so that it is perpendicular to the board's longitudinal axis, cant is provided without lift. However, if the binding is rotated toward the direction of travel, a combination of toe lift and cant is created for the front binding, and a combination of heel lift and cant for the rear binding. Using one set of four snowboard binding holes, the cant/lift 1 can be attached in four different orientations, corresponding to rotation of the cant/lift through 90.degree. increments. However, as a practical matter, the cant/lift is generally only attached with its thinnest point on the center axis of the snowboard and the incline facing the other binding, because the other three possible orientations would create an awkward stance. Thus, the only practical way to alter the cant and lift angles utilizing the cant/lift 1 is to rotate the binding with respect to the cant/lift 1. This is undesirable if the rider prefers the binding to be in a fixed rotational position relative to the board, but also wishes to alter the combination of cant and lift provided by the cant/lift 1.
The prior art cant/lift of FIGS. 1 and 2 has a fixed incline angle A (FIG. 1) that cannot be varied. Thus, to change the cant/lift angle, the rider must replace the cant/lift with another having a different incline angle. This is a time consuming process that necessitates unscrewing the binding from the cant/lift and the cant/lift from the snowboard. Further, to have the option of changing cant/lift angles, a rider must purchase multiple cant/lifts, and must bring them along when riding.
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved method and apparatus for canting/lifting a snowboard rider's bindings.